Diana flashed her a sidelong glance. "And if he doesn't, will things
be mended?" she inquired. "Will it save his honour to have Mr. Wilding
come and cane him?"

"He'd not do that?" said Ruth.

"Not if you asked him - no," was Diana's sharp retort, and she caught
her breath on the last word of it, for just then the Devil dropped
the seed of a suggestion into the fertile soil of her lovesick soul.

"Diana!" Ruth exclaimed in reproof, turning to confront her cousin.
But Diana's mind started upon its scheming journey was now travelling
fast. Out of that devil's seed there sprang with amazing rapidity
a tree-like growth, throwing out branches, putting forth leaves,
bearing already - in her fancy - bloom and fruit.

"Why not?" quoth she after a breathing space, and her voice was gentle,
her tone innocent beyond compare. "Why should you not ask him?" Ruth
frowned, perplexed and thoughtful, and now Diana turned to her with the
lively eye of one into whose mind has leapt a sudden inspiration.
"Ruth!" she exclaimed. "Why, indeed, should you not ask him to forgo
this duel?"

"How.., how could I?" faltered Ruth.

"He'd not deny you; you know he'd not."

"I do not know it," answered Ruth. "But if I did, how could I ask it?"